[Harp-L] Evening Harp Thoughts

[Joseph Leone]

> On May 16, 2017, at 9:27 PM, Leonard Schwartzberg <leonard1 at xxxxx> wrote:
> 
> Harpers:   As you might know, I'm somewhat of a lower intermediate,
> intermediate... type player, enjoy the BLUES totally, and enjoy listening to
> David Barrett, Madcat, Jake Knows H.., reading Winslow's Blues for Dummies
> (yes, I took your advice and bought the book).   
> 
> 
> 
> Couple of things re:  Cupping/Volume/Dynamics & Throat Vibrato.   I've been
> watching lots of videos and as a rule of thumb I've been closing the cup,
> closing the sound, on the blow notes, and opening and screaming at the make
> believe audience on the draw bluesy bent notes.    It's really been making
> me much more aware of dynamics and sometimes I honestly feel I get extra
> free notes because of the difference from cupped and uncapped and loud and
> soft and fluttered and, you get the idea.   Oh well, I guess each of the
> holes on my Session Steel diatonics almost play 8, 9, 10 or many more
> different notes or sounds.. Not just the draws and blows and bends.    Can
> the Midi, therefore, produce 50 or 100 notes on each hole?   Is that too
> many?   Listen to some of the real blues greats!!!!   They are great!!!!
> They make that tiny tin sandwich truly sing.    Bet the Midi can't do that..
> and it costs a grand.
> 
> 
> 
> On throat vibrato, which I seem to be lousy at, I've been chewing the
> mouthpiece and therefore producing a good vibrato.   I want to get the
> vibrato from my throat on the draws, the blows are easy as they sound like
> the rat tat tat of a machine gun.   I can't seem to get good throat vibrato,
> perhaps someone can give me the secret.

Try to find a video of a old time comic named Burt Lahr. The gargle that he does will get you started. 
smojoe

>   I try and try at least for a short
> time each day to work on it, but I'm convinced there's a secret and I'm just
> not getting it.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks guys/gals, Leonard
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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